Should've when you Could've
by FuneralBall
Summary: What happens when you have to choose between unlimited power and the girl you love? What happens when when it's all over, you are left with nothing? What happens when Pyro has to decide what is more important, wielding fire or the Southern Belle.
1. Prequel

Cold. Never in his life had he felt this pain. A burning sensation of thousands upon thousands of knives, piercing each section of his body until he was numb. It was a pain equal to death, and right now, he would welcome death. All feeling numbed; biting down on his lower lip so hard that it welled with blood. He still didn't feel it. Was this how death feels? Pain without the pain? Nothing was left; no lights, no sounds, no thought other than the regret of his actions.

And then it all went black.

St. John Allerdyce finally came around, but he couldn't bare to open his eyes. His hearing soon cleared up, only to reveal the sounds of burning fires, his fires, sirens and footsteps.

How many people had died because of him? Because of his arrogance and his thirst for being something more?

How many people had _he_ lost?

Just the one. Anna Marie Raven. _Rogue._


	2. Chapter 1

His eyes went dark again as he let out a single breath of air. His body couldn't cope with the stress of being awake after a blow like that to his head. He wasn't fully unconscious, hell, he still knew what was happening around him. Sort of.

He knew he'd been found by someone, he'd felt them lift his body up and onto something hard. He knew he'd been taken somewhere because he felt the movement of a vehicle. And he knew he was being taken care of because he felt the warmth of water on his skin, cleaning the blood off of his skin. He felt a bandage being wrapped around his skull, and then he felt – well heard, something that shocked him more than anything.

"Is he still alive, Logan?"

"Why yer askin' me fer. I jus' brought 'im in like I was told to."

"Ah'm just askin', sheesh."

Then footsteps. A pair of heavy footsteps leaving the room and a pair of dainty soft ones approaching his body. He breathed in heavily, a sharp painful breath due to broken ribs. He twisted and turned on the cold surface, wanting to sit up or open his eyes but failing to do both. Once he breathed in, he smelt something familiar. A soft scent of lavender and vanilla. Only one person he knew had that. Rogue. _His_ Rogue.

–

Rogue stood by his bed side, glancing from the monitor to him and sighing each time. She walked around, pacing to calm herself. She'd even chewed her bottom lip till it bed, to stop herself from speaking.

It hurt her to see him like this. His clothes were torn, his head was bandaged over his eyes and his whole body was drenched in both blood and fuel. After tapping her foot, she picked up the cloth and began to dab away blood.

A hiss of pain from her patient meant he was conscious. She dropped the rag and stumbled backwards. She'd hurt him. Wait – no, she hadn't. The water had. But _she_ hadn't. She'd forgotten about the cure and the fact her once poisonous touch was gone. She swallowed hard, before she took the corner of his bandages in between two fingers. Slowly and carefully, she began to peel back the bandage. A slight gasp leaving her red plump lips at the site of his once, and still, beautiful face.


	3. Chapter 2

The light hit his eyes like a fireball. Bright and burning, he'd forgotten the power of it. He opened his eyes slowly, blinking to focus his blue eyes. The first thing to grace his eyes, was the outline of Rogue. _His _Rogue. Her face soon became focused, a pale but beautiful face. Green eyes, almost the same colour as leaves after a rainfall. A cute button nose that led you to those lips. Her beautiful lips. Red as blood but not as violent. More like strawberries. Her auburn hair hung in loose curls around her shoulders, two white strikes caused by Magneto framed her face.

He remembered how she'd hated them so much. How she'd cried for hours upon hours. He wanted to tell her they completed her face, made her beautiful but Bobby had beaten her too it.

Bobby. He was the cause of so many issues. He's gotten John into trouble the day Rogue arrived. He'd taken Rogue to the summer dance. He didn't even give John a chance with her. And yet, Bobby wasn't happy. He'd been told about the event before Rogue left for the cure. How Bobby had spent more time with Kitty, and even kissed her on the frozen pond.

He'd broken Rogue's heart and she still went back to him.

John sat up, breathing in sharply and gazing up at Rogue. Her smile made his heart warm up, but at the same time collapse. She had something strange in her eyes, a gleam of sadness.

"Rogue I-"

She cut him off before he could speak. A simple gesture which was known for silencing. She lifted a finger to her lips. He couldn't believe she'd shh-ed him, but he obeyed either way. He wanted to repair the damage he'd done. Even if he only repaired it with her.

"Yer a silly guy, John. Ah mean – yer should be dead. Yer deserve to be dead."

That hurt.

"But ah'm glad yer alive. Ah've missed yer, a lot."

That made up for it. In fact, she could slap him or even punch him and right now – it wouldn't even phase him. _His_ Rogue had missed him. Finally, he had a shot with the Southern Belle.


End file.
